HIV screening for pregnant women in south eastern France: evolution 1992-1994-1996.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the evolution of the HIV screening practices towards pregnant women between 1992 and 1996, in relation with the 1993 French mandatory obligation to offer prenatal HIV testing and recent therapeutic possibilities to reduce HIV vertical transmission.


METHODS
Three successive surveys (January 1992, May 1994 and May 1996) about HIV screening policies among medical chiefs of all prenatal care and abortion departments of South Eastern France. Sixty-seven of the 74 departments concerned agreed to participate in the three surveys.


RESULTS
The proportion of departments practising routine prenatal HIV screening had not increased since 1992 (89%) but systematic women's consent is more often requested (65.5 vs. 38.2%, P < 0.01). In the context of abortion, HIV testing is more often routinely offered (38.1 vs. 16.4%, P < 0.05) but selective screening remains a frequent practice (29.1%).


CONCLUSIONS
Mandatory proposal of HIV testing to women who terminate could improve access to test but is not sufficient to guarantee adequate preventive counselling.
Rey
D
D
Observatoire Régional de la Santé, Marseille, France.
Obadia
Y
Y
Carrieri
M P
MP
Moatti
J P
JP
D000028:Abortion, Induced; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000639:trends*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control*